August 19/Shandong, China/Health & Medicine Week -- According to a study from Shandong, People's Republic of China, "This study investigated the effect of Ginkgo biloba extract on Free Radical Metabolism of Liver in mice during endurance exercise. Forty-eight mice were divided into the quiet group and the exercised group."

"And the two groups were both grouped again, including the control group and the drug-treated group. After exhaustive exercise, the exercised groups were subdivided into the immediate group and the recovery group. The swimming time to exhaustion significantly prolonged in the exercised drug-treated group as compared with the exercised control group (p<0.05); The SOD activity of drug-treated groups significantly increased (p<0.05) as compared with the control groups and MDA content was significantly lower (p<0.05). The SOD activity and MDA content of exercised control groups significantly increased (p<0.05) as compared with the quiet control group. The SOD activity and MDA content of exercised drug-treated groups significantly increased (p<0.05) as compared with the quiet drug-treated group," wrote B. Yan and colleagues.

The researchers concluded, "The results indicated that Ginkgo biloba extract can obviously increase the body's endurance exercise capacity in mice and delay fatigue; Ginkgo biloba extract can help to increase the activity of the antioxidant enzymes in liver tissue, reduce the lipid peroxidation injury in liver tissue caused by free radicals, improve athletic ability, and promote the recovery process after exercise in mice."

Yan and colleagues published their study in African Journal of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicines ("Effects Of Ginkgo Biloba Extract On Free Radical Metabolism Of Liver In Mice During Endurance Exercise." African Journal of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 2010;7(4):291-295).

For more information, contact B. Yan, Dezhou University, College Physics Education, 566 Daxue E Rd., Dezhou City 253023, Shandong, People's Republic of China.

From the August 30, 2010, Prepared Foods E-dition